  Spiritual
This week: Expanding Your Spiritual Comfort Zones Edited by: SophyBells  
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Hi, I'm SophyBells ~ your editor for this edition of the Spiritual Newsletter. This week we'll talk about how by exploring various religions, your own spiritual path -- as well as your writing -- will be greatly enhanced.
The Rev. Scotty McLennan, author of the book "Finding Your Religion," compares humanity's innate need for spiritual searching to climbing a mountain. In his view, we are all endeavoring to climb the same figurative mountain in our search for the divine, we just may take different ways to get there. In other words, there is one "God," but many paths. I honor whatever path or paths you have chosen to climb that mountain in your quest for the Sacred.  |
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Expanding Your Spiritual Comfort Zones
As our world continues to do battle over, among, other things, religious differences, it's more important than ever for us to educate ourselves, in particular about religions and customs with which we may not be familiar. Knowledge is a gift, while ignorance is dangerous -- and while I am not suggesting we educate ourselves about other religions so that we may convert to them, I believe we do ourselves and our larger global community well by getting to know each other better, and celebrating our similarities (rather than only fighting over our differences). Perhaps this will help us lead by example, and prevent the travesties of the burning of holy books and striking out in violence against each other.
Here is but one example of how/why this can be a positive experience. In recent weeks my spiritual community (which happens to be Christian) has been reaching out to the local Islamic community to show support in the midst of the negative and sometimes ugly events that have been going on as a result of the proposed community center to be built in lower Manhattan. As a result of our efforts, we are helping to sponsor a community event with our local synagogue and mosque, called "Children of Abraham" where we will offer a panel discussion of what these three religions share in common as a way of educating people in our community.
As part of my work putting the panel together, I made met a Muslim man in our town named Syed. Before this experience I had not met many Muslims, and like most people I made some assumptions and pre-judgments about them. Syed quickly dispelled all of them, and we have become friends over the course of the last month or so. He has been so appreciative of our efforts that he invited me to attend their Eid-ul-Fitr dinner this past weekend to celebrate the end of Ramadan (they have the dinner a week later). My husband and I attended together and to be honest, I had no idea to expect. We were a little nervous (the expression "fish out of water" is exactly how we felt) but as soon as we arrived we were welcomed warmly and throughout the entire evening we were made to feel like honored guests.
One of the things I was not sure about was whether or not to wear a covering on my head. So I wore a scarf around my neck that I could use on my head if needed. Immediately I noticed that some women had on a head-covering, while others did not. I was embarrassed by my lack of knowledge about their customs, but these beautiful women quickly put me at ease and encouraged me to ask questions about whatever I didn't know. When I admitted that I was hesitant to ask because I feared insulting them by my ignorance, they just laughed and told me, "How else will you learn if you don't ask?"
There were of course differences in their celebration (different from my experiences). The food was not at all what I expected (very spicy!), the clothing was colorful, the prayers were spoken in Arabic, and the men and women were separated. But those differences aside, there was much that was familiar -- the joy and warmth of breaking bread together and creating friends from strangers, the delight of young children playing and laughing with each other, a shared sense of love and awe for the Sacred, and the bonds of a faith community.
As a result of this amazing experience, I not only know more about a culture and religion I was not familiar with, but it also gave me some great material for my spiritual writing, both in terms of fiction and non-fiction. I've already written an article about my experience, blogged about it, and am working together with members of the local Jewish and Muslim community on the educational panel I already mentioned, as well as other opportunities for bridge building and mutual awareness.
I encourage you to do the same -- getting to know others from different religious and spiritual traditions can only strengthen and enhance your own path, not to mention, broaden your spiritual writing.
Blessings,
SophyBells
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Below you'll find some offerings from other WDC members about Ramadan and Yom Kippur, which both just ended recently for Muslims and Jews. Please let the folks know if you read their piece by leaving a thoughtful comment or review.
Here are a few items from the site about Ramadan ...
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Here's my thoughts on why I fast and what it feels like.
#1468959 by SasaShehu  |
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Some thoughts and feelings about the Muslim holy month of Ramadan
#1324020 by Silver |
Here are a few items from the site about Yom Kippur ...
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This item number is not valid.
#1021180 by Not Available. |
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WOW!  There were quite a lot of comments from my last newsletter about finding the Sacred in Silence -- which evidently resonated with many of you:
From From Tornado Day
My dearest Sophie,
As always, your encouragement and understanding are appreciated, more than you can know.
Bobbie
Thank you so much for your kind words.
    
From robquill
Dear Sophy:
Your article, S for Silence", is a real blessing on the subject of spritual path finding. It is comprehensive, informative, inspiring, authentic, and one most well written with detailed how-to steps. There is an air of strenght and down-to-earth spirtual open-hearted ness to a subject that every one should be keen to obtain.
Robquill
Wow, thank you so much!
From twon721
I'm so glad I was able to control which newsletters are sent to my in-box. The Spiritual Newsletter is fantastic. Religion is wonderful to open up and think about. With this newsletter I can do just that. Thank you.
I'm glad you find the newsletter helpful -- as an editor it's good to know we are being helpful.
From monty31802
A newsletter worth reading with fine choices of highlighted items.
Thanks!
From Zeke 
While silence is a rarity in our modern world, I agree that it is beautiful when we experience it. Like most other good things though, too much isn't a good thing.
Well perhaps too much isn't a good thing, but in modern society I don't think that's likely to be a problem -- too little silence tends to be our challenge.
From
Hey thanks for this letter. It reminds me of a book i just read called "The Chosen." Its about the Jews culture of New York City and in it the father never speaks to his son. He speaks through him in silence. You don't understand his reason for this till the end. Silence can affect people deeply. Good call for the theme of Silence.
Thanks for sharing about the book -- I'll have to check that out.
From Light
Silence is where all knowing, wisdom and God can be found. All else is only the illusions of living in this world.
By always keeping an ear on Silence, you will never loose your way.
Beautiful, thank you so much for sharing this.
From Joy 
Superb! Thanks, Sophy.
Hypnotists, in mental health, use the inner cave, most of the time successfully, or they hope they do.
Thank Joy!
From GRAMPA ED
Sophy,
Silence is beauty and I find it at night in a sanctuary of a church (MT of course). During the day I have found it in a hot air balloon, a glider in the air, or at a park on a bench just watching the clouds go by and thanking God for all he has given us. There is a verse from the Bible I like and it can be found in Psalm 46:10---Be still, and know I am God.
Grampa Ed
Thanks Grampa, I've never been in a hot air balloon or a gilder but I imagine it would be so "heavenly" and peaceful and quiet. And you are right, sitting on a bench watching the clouds -- that I can do, and be thankful for! Be still ...
From Rain_Maker
Silence is indeed a peaceful place, but what about music 
Well yes, music is great too -- and sometimes the silence at the end of the profound closing note of a song, even better!
From Katya the Poet
Lovely! Silence! By chance, I was reading a poem that tied in perfectly, "The Stairway," by Stephen Dunn, about a silver stairway to nowhere, contemplated in silence. He is an existentialist, but it is reverent.
Sounds lovely.
From Cynaemon
Sophy, Thanks so much for a wonderful newsletter. Silence is one of my favorite subjects. You have inspired me today. I am off to write some poetry. :)
YAY! Glad it inspired you -- that was my hope.
From sonnydinger
HI Sophy ,
That was very good writing, as when He created Heaven and Earth the bible says nothing about noise.....
Sonny
Hahaha, good point!
Please keep your comments and suggestions coming, they are greatly appreciated!
Until next time! SophyBells |
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Spiritual: September 22, 2010 Issue [#3977]
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